Ficara



Jan. 24, 1956 s. FICARA 2,732,208

DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Filed May 3, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEYS S. FICARA DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Jan. 24,1956

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3 1951 Jan. 24, 1956 s. FICARA 2,732,208

DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Filed May 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Ja/ryue/ Ficara .or ileveles n ipo :ib enau se United States Patent e 32DEVICE non HANDLING BowLme PINS Samue Fi s??? l s la t n MassApplication May s, 1951, fierial :No. 224,354

' a ms (c1 2 ,554)

This invent-ion relates to bowling alley equipment, and particularly toa device -for"the'rnechanical handling of bowling pins.

While the device of this invention may be used with facility inconnection with the game 'of b'owling generally, the device will be'fpundparticiilarly adapted for use in connection with the playing'ofthat bowling game known to the sport as*candle pins. i

ln regard to the socalle'd can'dle pins game of bowling the equipment,specified and standardized by the rules and regulations establishedby'theMassa'chusetts Bowling Association, in'cludes te n'pins'whieh areplaced in an upright position on twelve'inch centers in'an equilateraltriangular array on that par'tflo'f the bowling alley known to the sportas the pin'plate. This triangular array of pins 'is situated wiihm'a"definitive'iield" of play that is a rectangular section'or areaof'thefb owling alley. This definitive field of play is of specifieddimensions, generally for ty one fo r'ty two inches (the width of lthjebowling alley) by sii'rty inches (which is an arbitrary distance fromthe edge of the receiving pit 't'o a line drawn across the alley andgenerally known asthe deadline). i In his turn of "play each bowler isallowed'to cast or 'b'owl smany as three pans in succession in anattempt to upset or levelthe upstanding pins. "After each ball-has beenbowled, the pins' in" andnear the abovernentioned definitive fieldoflplay becomemembers of ft he following niu tuallyiexclusiveclasses:i 1. ffitandingwood: Those ,pins of the original ten (10) remaining inan uprightv position in ,the definitive field ,2. Live .wood: Pins whichhaye been upset but remain in thevdeiinitiyeifield .of play;"suchpinsjmay have some partprojecting the b'o dinglinesof the.toucliing be ondsujclnbouhdirigllines. 3. Dead awhiche 'avepeaai a ordisplaced to without the u ng' lines of .theldefinitive'field *Beforeplay can be resumed .in accordance .with the rules and regulations ofthe gameit is requiredthat the dead wood be segregated .and lremovedfrom proximity .to the field of play and deposited .inthe receiving pituntil a resetting islrequirediforithe .nex't bowlers turn.

While in recent yearsattemptshave .been'made to provide automaticmechanism .in connection .with .the socalled game of ibowling forremoving :bowling pins .for' theremqra .q ta riu .2 b new .i i s Pi il1! en r field of play, and those pins which have been upset but aredisplaced beyond the bounding line's ofthe definitive field of play andhence are known as fdead 'wood, and between which two types of pinsthere is aclea'r distinction in the game of candle pins. As aboveindicated the only pins which are to be removed after each ball has beenbowled, in the game of candle pins 'arethose leveled pins which comewithin the category of .dead wood. In addition, presently proposed pinremoying mechanisms generally require some change in the physicaldimensions of the alley or other components 'of the game and it has beenfound that withreg ardt'o'the game of candle pins, particularly, anyattempt to change the physical dimensions of the alley or other of thegame equipment adversely affects theplay and theibovvle rs score. Thishas been'particularly true where the necessary changes have, as isgenerally the case, requireda deepening of the alley gutters.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to providea mechanism which will distinguish between the live wood, i. e., pinswhich hav e been upset but remain in'the definitivefieldofplay,and deadwood, i. e., pinswhich have been upset and displaced beyond thedefinitive field of play, and will prop- 'erly functionto remove onlythe dead wood, leaving the live wood and the standing wood, e., thosepins remaining :an upright position the definitive field of play,undisturbed and hence admirably lends'itself to use for thepurposementionedin'connection'with the playing of the candle pin form ofbowling' g 'arh'e above referred to'sorn'ewhat in detail. r

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism as andfor the purpose above-mentioned which will require no changewhatever'in'thephysical dimensions of the alley or other components ofthe game, and ior that'rea'sonalso is used to advantage i'n"connec tionwith the aforementioned candle pin form of bowling game. i l

The mechanism of this invention comprises a combination and arrangementof elements whichinsufes the segregating and removal to thereeeiving'lpit' o'f a'll of the so-called dead wood, including dead woodl'eariing across the gutters against the"pitw'all divider 'or kick-back,in such a manner as to leave the""sta'nding wood and live woodundisturbed in thefield of'p'lay.

Also the mechanism of this inventionincludes etlicie'iit means forprotecting the mechanism froi'n' damage as might otherwise be caused byaball bowle'd, inadvertently' or otherwise, during the cycle ofoperation of such mechanisms l M Other objects of the invention will beapparent from the 'followingdescrip'tion ofthe preferred forinof theinvention, taken in" connection with 'the' accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a bowling alley having the mechanism forhandling bowling pins as contemplated tially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail horizontalsectional viewtaken substantially on the line'4- 4 o Figure 2;

FigureS is a detail transverse sectional view taken substantially on theline ,55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailside elevation al viewof a sweep formingpart ofrt'helinventioni i Figure -7 is a fragmentary ljdetail sectionaleleyational view showing a rack and pinion assembly forming a salientfeature of the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a movable gutter section forming partof the invention, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a safety gate forming partof the invention.

The drawings illustrate the apparatus associated with a conventionalbowling alley generally designated by the numeral 10, and comprising theregulation platform or floor-like surface 11 having a pair of gutters 12along the marginal edges thereof; a pit 13 at one end of the alley, anda ball return rail 14 paralleling one of the gutters 12. The referencenumeral 15, in the lowermost portion of Figure 1 of the drawings,indicates a partition wall between the pit 13 of the alley shown and thepit of an adjoining alley, not shown.

As hereinbefore stated, especially in regard to the game of candle pins,the bowling or candle pins 16 are set up in triangular array within adefinitive field of play that is a rectangular section or area 17 of thebowling alley bounded by the edges of the floor 11 at the pit 13 andgutters 12 and a line 18 drawn across the alley floor-surface andgenerally known as the dead line.

As before stated, it is the object of the player, with each ball bowled,to level the alley of all the upstanding pins 16. Generally, however,one or more of the pins 16 will not fall and hence come within thecategory of standing wood while of the pins that do fall one or morewill remain in the definitive field of play so as to come within thecategory of live wood, and other of the fallen pins will be displacedbeyond the definitive field of play and hence come within the categoryof dead wood." It is to the removal of these last-mentioned pins or deadwood into pit 13 that this invention is directed.

The apparatus through the medium of which the abovementioned object isobtained includes, in general, a sweep board indicated generally by thereference numeral 19 normally disposed along one longitudinal edge ofthe alley for reciprocatory movement transversely across the floor--like surface 11 of the alley in advance of the definitive field of play17 for sweeping before it the dead wood,

i. e., pins 16 which have been displaced from the field of play beyondthe deadline into a gutter 12; sweep rods 20 disposed along thelongitudinal edges of the gutters 12 at the edges thereof farthestremote from the longitudinal edges of the alley floor surface 11, forreciprocation toward and away from the pit 13 and engageable with thedead wood or pins which have been upset and project beyond the boundinglines of the definitive field of play 17, and across the gutters 12 incontact with or touching the side walls of the bowling alley, forcausing such pins to fall into the gutters 12; vertically movable guttersections 12m receiving the dead wood, i. e., the aforementioned pinswhich had been directed thereinto by the action of the sweep board 19and sweep rods pushers or followers 21 disposed for reciprocation withinthe gutter sections 12m toward and from the pit 13 for directing thepins in the gutters to the pit 13; and a swingable gate 22 normallydisposed along one longitudinal edge of the alley 10 for movement to andfrom an overlying position with respect to the floor-like surface 11,and located forwardly or in advance of the sweep board 19 for protectingthe mechanism from damage as might be caused by a ball bowled while theabovementioned components of the apparatus are in operation.

The movements of gate 22, sweep board 19, sweep rods 20, gutter sections12m and pushers 21, in proper sequence and synchronism are accomplishedby means of mechanism comprising a transverse shaft 23 supported by, andjournaled in, bearing standards 24 preferably located beneath the floorsurface 11 of the alley, and which shaft 23 is driven in either of twodirections from a suitable source of power, as for example, electricmotor 25 that is in driving engagement with the shaft 23 through themedium of gearing which includes a suitable enclosed 4 reduction gearingassembly indicated generally at 26, and gears 27. Shaft 23 is providedwith pinions 28 in constant mesh with rack bars 29. There is one rackbar 29 for each gutter 12 and each rack bar is supported lengthwise ofand beneath a gutter 12 for reciprocatory movement through the medium ofa bearing standard 30 having a removable bearing cap 31 (see Figure 7)which provides a structure for housing a. pinion 28 and for sup portingand guiding the rack bar 29 with which the pinion is in mesh.

Each rack bar 29 has associated therewith a slide 32 mounted toreciprocate on a pair of parallel rods 33 sup-' ported between a pair ofopposed transverse members 34, 35. Each slide 32 has rising therefromstuds 36 through the medium of which are anchored to the slide 32 theterminals of gutter-operating cables 37, 38. The cables 37, 38 are alsoanchored to and trained about pulleys 39, 40 mounted on oscillatoryshafts 41, 42 respectively supported in suitable bearing brackets 43,44. Each of the shafts 41 and 42 has secured thereto gutter-supportingarms 45 which are pivoted to a gutter section 12m for raising andlowering said section in response to oscillatory or rocking movement ofthe shafts 41, 42.

Each slide 32 is normally held in a retracted position (that is, theposition shown in the drawings), and thereby they normally maintain thegutter sections 12m in elevated position and in alignment with the mainor stationary sections of the gutters 12, through the medium of a crossbar 46 carried by and extending laterally from the respective rack bars29. Movement of the slides 32 in a direction to effect a lowering of thegutter sections 12m is limited through the medium of pairs of stops 47arranged in the path of movement of the slides 32 and extending inparallelism with the rods 33 from the member 35 (see Figure 4).

Movement of one of the rack bars 29 also controls the movements of thesweep board 19 and gate 22. Gate 22 is mounted on a vertical shaft 48suitably supported for rocking or oscillatory movement. A suitablyanchored coil spring 49 is convoluted about the shaft 48 and securedthereto and normally urges the shaft 48 to rotate in one direction fornormally urging the gate 22 from the out-of-the-way position shown infull lines in the drawings, i. e., along one longitudinal edge of agutter 12, to the operative or protective position across the alley, andshown by broken lines in Figure l. Shaft 48 is also provided with alaterally extending arm 50 to which is secured one end of a cable 51.The other end of the cable is anchored to a slide 52 through the mediumof an upstanding stud 53. Slide 52 is supported between the members 34and 35 for sliding movement therebetween through the medium of a pair ofguide rails or rods 54. Limit stops 55, somewhat similar to theaforementioned limit stops 47, are arranged in the path of the slide 52for limiting movement of the latter to an extent which permits the gate22 to swing from the full line position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to thedotted line position shown in Figure 1. In this connection it will benoted that stud 53 is in abutting engagement with the cross rod 46 ofthe rack bar 29 and thus cooperates with the latter for normally holdingthe gate 22 in the aforementioned retracted position against the actionof spring 49. A slide 56 and a cable 57 are also provided forcontrolling, in response to the movement of the rack bar 29, movementsof the sweep board 19. In this connection it will be noted that in theillustrated embodiment thereof the sweep board 19 comprises a pair ofstandards 58 that at their lower ends or bases are pivotally mounted asat 59. At the upper ends thereof the standards 58 are connected by across rod 60 which also serves as a pivotal connection between thestandards 58 and arms 61. At the lower ends thereof the arms 61 arebridged by, and have pivotally connected therewith, the sweep board perse 62, the surface of which may be covered by felt or other suitablematerial 63 so as not to mar or scratch thefallen pins. 16.when. itcomesrin contact therewith;-

Also, so as not to mar the floor surface ll-suitable rollers or castors78 are provided in a manner to support the lower ends of the arms 61 andthe lower edge of the board 62 slightly above the floor surface.mentioned cable 57 is suitably secured to the sweep board 62 asindicated generally at 64 (see Figure- 6.), and at bar 29, and with theslide 56in the retracted position shown in Figure 4 the aforementionedand described sweep board assembly 19 is held in the retracted positionshown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2. For the slide 56 there are alsoprovided limiting stops 71. In this connection it will benoted that thestops 47,55 and 71 are so proportioned as to lengthas to limit themovements of the respective slides'32, 52 and 56 in order to permit thedesired movements of gate 22, sweep board 19, sweep rods 20, gutter.sections 12m and pushers 21 in proper sequence and synchronism. Thesweep board assembly 19'also includes booster levers 66 pivoted as at67' to the standards 58 and provided at one end with lateral projections68 that normally impinge the arms 61. The booster levers 66' areenergized by springs 69 secured at oneend to the levers 66' and at theopposite ends thereof anchored as at 70 to the standards 58. The purposeand function of the booster levers 66 will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

The aforementioned pushers or followers 21 provided for directing'thepins in the gutters 12to'the pit 13 are, as shown, carried by the rackbars 29, and the aforementioned sweep rods'20, which may', be formed ofwire rod or other suitable material, include horizontal portions 20'which are secured to the pushers or followers 21 and serve to supportthe sweep rods 20 in advance of the followers 21, and with that sweeprod 20, arranged at the same side of the alley where the sweep boardassembly 19 is supported, in suitable position with respect to thecomponents of the sweep board assembly (see Figures 1 and 2) so as notto mutually interfere with their respective operations.

In order that initial actuation of the parts just abovementioned may becontrolled by the players, a switch 72 electrically connected in anysuitable manner with the motor 25 may be mounted on the floor surface 11of the alley for convenient manipulation by the players. In thisconnection it will also be noted that a supporting standard 73 for oneof the pairs of rack bars 29 is provided with a reversing switch 74 anda stop switch 75 that are also electrically connected in any suitablemanner with the electric motor 25. For actuating the reversing switch74, the mentioned rack bar 29 is provided with a trip arm 76 that, whenthe mentioned rack bar 29 has moved the necessary distance and the partsare all in the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, engages theswitch 74 for causing the motor 25 to reverse and thus cause aretraction of all the parts, or in other words a movement of all theparts from the broken line position shown in Figure 1 to the full lineposition of said parts shown in said figure. When the parts havereturned to this last-mentioned position, stop switch 75 is engaged by atrip arm 77 carried by the mentioned rack bar 29 whereupon the switch isoperated for breaking the circuit through the motor, the parts beingthen all in position to repeat the cycle of operation now to bedescribed.

As before indicated, all of the aforementioned and described parts ofthe apparatus are normally in the out-of-the-way or retracted positionsshown in full lines in the drawings. After a ball has been bowled, andfor the purpose of clearing the aforementioned dead wood, the playerthen actuates the switch 72 to start the electric The afore Intermediatethe ends thereof the motor 25 whereupon the rack bars 29 are driventhrough the medium of the pinions 28. As the rack bars 29 advance, theslides 32, 52 and 56 follow until-arrested by the stops 47, 55 and 71.As slide 52 moves toward the stops 55, gate 22 in response to the actionof spring 49,

moves to the protective position; i. e., a position across the alleyindicated by'broken lines in Figure 1 and into abutting engagement witha suitable stop 79, the gate in this latter position effectivelyblocking further play, i. e., the bowling of a subsequent ball by theplayer for the time being.

As slide 56 moves, under influence of the springs 69,

toward the stops 71, the booster levers66' of the sweepboard assembly19, energized by the springs 69, act to project the arms 61 in a mannerto cause the sweep board 62 to jump across the intervening gutter 12 andto move across the floor surface of the alley from the retractedposition shown in Figures 1 tao 4, inclusive, to the dotted lineposition shown in Figures 1 and 3. Manifestlyas the sweep board 62 somoves across the alley floor, it sweeps the dead wood, i. e., the pins16 which have been displaced from the field of play beyond the deadline18, into the gutter section 12m at the opposite side of the alley, thissweeping movement of the sweep board 62 continuing until slide 56 hasmoved into engagement with the stops 71.

It will also be apparent that as the rack bars 29 move the slides 32move in a corresponding direction with the result that the guttersections 12m, of their own weight begin to move vertically downwardlythe cables 37, 38 winding on the respective pulleys 39, 40. At about thetime the sweep 19 has reached the limit of its pin sweep-' ing actionslides 32 will have moved into engagement with. the limiting stops47,.at which point the gutter sec tions 12m will be in their lowermostposition. The rack bars 29 however continue to move carrying with themthe pushers 21 and the sweep rods 20. This continued the gutter sections12m sufiiciently to approximately touchthe side walls 15 of the bowlingalley, are engaged by the sweep rods and directed thereby into thegutter sections 12m to be, along with the aforementioned dead wood,directed by the pushers 21 into the pit 13 at the rear end of the alley.When the pushers 21 have reached the ends of the gutter sections 12mnearest to the pit 13 trip arm 76 will engage the reverse switch 74whereby the driving action of the motor will be reversed. This willresult in a retraction of the rack bars 29, i. e., a movement of therack'bars in a direction away from the pit end of the alley. Manifestly,as the rack bars 29 are retracted, retracting movement is imparted tothe slides 32, 52 and 56 as the cross arms 46 move into engagement firstwith the studs 36 on the slides 32 and, in reference to one of the crossarms 46, into engagement with the stud 65 on slide 56 and the stud 53 onslide 52 in the order named. This retraction of the slides 32, 56 and 52will manifestly result in the retraction of the sweep board 19 and thegate 22, and the elevating of the gutter sections 12m in proper sequenceand synchronism. As the mentioned components reach their retractedpositions the trip arm 77 carried by one of the rack bars 29 will moveinto engagement with the stop switch 75, thus interrupting the circuitto the motor 25. The parts are now all in position to repeat the cycleof operation just described.

While the invention has been described in detail in its presentlypreferred embodiment, it will, of course, be understood that such hasbeen done for purposes of illustration only and not by way oflimitation, and therefore only such limitations are to be imposedthereon as may reasonably come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable guttersections, a sweep board movable across the floor surface of the alley toengage and sweep fallen pins lying, in a certain area, between thedeadline and the foul line end of the alley into one of theaforementioned gutter sections, sweep rods movable lengthwise of thegutter sections to engage and direct into the gutter sections fallenpins projecting there-across and touching the side walls of the alleybetween the deadline and the pit end of the alley, pushers movablelengthwise of and within the gutter sections, when the latter aredisplaced from their operative position, to direct the pins therein tothe alley pit, and a shaft extending beneath the alley and connectedwith the gutter sections, sweep board, sweep rods and pushers to actuatethe same in predetermined sequence.

2. Apparatus for clearing a bowling alley of dead wood as distinguishedfrom standing wood and live wood as those terms are understood in thegame of candle pins comprising vertically movable alley gutter sections,a sweep board mounted for reciprocation transversely across the alley toengage and sweep the dead wood lying, in a certain area, between thedeadline and the foul line end of the alley into one of theaforementioned gutter sections, sweep rods mounted for recip rocationlengthwise of the gutter sections to engage and direct into the guttersections dead wood projecting there-across and touching the side wallsof the alley between the deadline" and the pit end of the alley, pushersmounted for reciprocation within the gutter sections when the latter aredisplaced from their operative position to direct the dead wood thereinto the alley pit, and a shaft mounted beneath the alley and operativelyconnected with the gutter sections for raising and lowering the same,and with the sweep board, sweep rods, and

pushers for reciprocating the latter, in synchronism and predeterminedsequence.

3. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable guttersections at the pit end of the alley, pusher members mounted forreciprocation lengthwise of the gutter sections when the latter aredisplaced from their operative position to engage and direct pins in thegutter sections toward and into the alley pit, and means connected withthe gutter sections and the pusher members for raising and lowering thegutter sections and for reciprocating the pusher members in synchronismand predetermined sequence.

4. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable guttersections, sweep rods movable lengthwise of the gutter sections to engageand direct into the gutter sections fallen pins projecting there-acrossand touching the side walls of the alley between the deadline and thepit end of the alley, pushers movable lengthwise of and within thegutter sections when the latter are displaced from their operativeposition, to direct the pins therein to the alley pit, and a shaftextending beneath the alley and connected with the gutter sections,sweep rods and pushers to actuate the same in predetermined sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS460,025 Oeyen Sept. 22, 1891 1,203,216 McFarland Oct. 31, 1916 1,586,831Murphy June 1, 1926 1,806,274 Williams May 19, 1931 2,250,503 RundellJuly 29, 1941 2,411,348 Turner Nov. 19, 1946 2,498,587 Snyder Feb. 21,1950 2,566,987 Humber Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,166 Germany June30, 1930

